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and detest all truly Popish Doctrines and Practices in general; that is, all thofe Corrupt Doctrines, Superftition and Idolatry, with which the Church of Rome has defiled the true Primitive Chriftianity taught by our Bleffed Saviour and His Apoftles; and by the Establishment of which, in the pretended General Council of Trent, it has render'd itself Schifmatical, Heretical, and Idolatrous: But I fhall alfo defcend to Par ticulars.

In order to which, it is neceffary, that I diftinguish betwixt what is Popib, and what is Chriftian. For the Papifts believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith contained in the Apostles Creed, the Athanafian Creed, and the Nicene Creed,even as the Church of England does. And therefore, when I declare, that I abhorr and deteft Popery in general, I do not mean, that I abhorr and deteft whatever is held and believed by the Papifts, because at that rate I must abhorr and deteft the Creeds, to which I have heartily fubfcribed, and even the Holy Scriptures themfelves, which the Papifts alfo acknowledge to be the Word of GOD as well as we; and in fhort, renounce Chriftianity itself. For the Papifts hold all the Doctrines of Chriftianity; but they have corrupted and abufed many of them, and made feveral Additional Articles to the Faith, which was once

delivered

delivered to the Saints. And therefore, all Things written and maintained by the Papifts are not to be condemn'd; for whatever Doctrines they teach, which are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, are not to be called Popish Doctrines, because taught by them; but are to be esteemed as real Chriftian Doctrines, because taught by Chrift and His Apoftles, and the Primitive Fathers, before Popery was known in the World. And for this Reason, the Doctrines I have publickly taught, ought not to be thought Popish, though I myself had been of that Communion, (which, I thank GOD, I am not, never was, and by the Divine Grace trust that I never fhall be) because they are agreeable to the Doctrine of Chrift and His Apostles, and of thofe Holy Bishops and Martyrs who governed the Chriftian Church for many Ages before the prefent Romish Religion. And if any Doctrines of the Church of Rome feem to bear any Affinity to thofe Doctrines, it is only because that Church has not yet thrown off the Doctrines of Chriftianity, but only corrupted them.

To come therefore to the particular Do&trines of that Church, wherein they have deviated from the true Primitive Chriftianity; I fhall fhew my Deteftation of them, by confidering them diftinctly, as they lie in the Additional Articles annexed to the Creed

Creed by Pope Pius IV. agreeable to what was decreed by the Conciliabulum, I cannot call it Council of Trent.

Though I

1. EVERY Man of that Communion is bound to declare and fay, I firmly receive and embrace the Apoftolical and Ecclefiaftical Traditions, and the other Customs and Conftitutions of the Church. As this Article requires us to receive and embrace the Corrupt Traditions, Customs and Constitutions of the prefent Roman Church, I abhorr, deteft, and renounce it. do firmly receive and embrace the True Apoftolical and Ecclefiaftical Traditions, Cuftoms, and Conftitutions which are agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, and which, according to the Golden Rule of Vincentius Lirinenfis, have been received in all Ages, in all Places, and by all the Faithful, and which are still retained or approved by the prefent Church of England.

2. THE next Additional Article is, I receive the Holy Scripture in that Senfe in which it has been, and is ftill held by our Holy Mother the Church, who alone has Authority to judge of the true Sense and Interpretation of the Holy Scripture; nor will I ever receive and interpret it otherwise than according to the unanimous Confent of the Fathers. Now, as this makes the prefent Church of Rome the fole Interpreter of the C

Scripture,

Scripture, and obliges to a Reception of all the Interpretations given by her Schoolmen and Canonifts, I abhorr, deteft, and renounce it. Though at the fame time I declare, that I will not interpret the Holy Scriptures otherwife, than as the truly Catholick Fathers, and Ancient Bishops have *Lib. quo- done, as the Canons of the Church of rund. Can. England have directed me in this Cafe. I Conciona mean fuch Catholick Fathers, and Ancient Bishops, as liv'd within the first Five or Six Centuries, before the Bishops of Rome corrupted the Doctrine and Difcipline of the Church.

ann. 1571.

tores.

3. THEN the Papift says, I profefs also, that there are Seven true and proper Sacraments of the New Teftament, inftituted by our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, for the Salvation of Mankind, though all are not neceffary for every Man: That is to fay, Baptifm, Confirmation, the Eucharift, Penance, Extreme Unction, Orders, Matrimony: And that they conferr Grace: And of thefe, Baptifm, Confirmation, and Orders cannot be reiterated without Sacrilege. My Anfwer to this fhall be in the very Words of the Church of England, in the Article of the Sacraments. There are Two Sacraments ordain'd of Chrift our Lord in the Gospel, that is to fay, Baptifm, and the Lord's Supper. Thefe Five commonly called Sacraments, that

is to fay, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being Such as have grown partly of the corrupt following the Apostles, partly are States of Life allowed in the Scriptures: But yet have not like Nature of Sacraments with Baptifm, and the Lord's Supper; for that they have not any vifible Sign or Ceremony ordain'd of God.

4. THE Papift adds, I receive all the receiv'd and approv'd Rites of the Catholick Church, in the folemn Adminiftration of all the forementioned Sacraments. But I declare, that I abhorr and abominate the many Superftitious Rites ufed by the Church of Rome in thofe Ministrations.

To

5. THE Papift declares, I admit, embrace, and receive all and fingular the Definitions and Declarations made by the Council of Trent concerning Original Sin and Fustification. But I folemnly profefs, that I cannot embrace and receive all and fingular of thofe Definitions and Declarations. instance in one Particular, I cannot acknowledge, that a Satisfaction can be made even for the Temporal Punishment due to Sin, by Fafting, Alms, and fuch like; as that Council fays it is, in the 14th Article concerning Juftification. Such Acts are very good and proper Teftimonies of the SinC 2

cerity

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